Environment; Recycling

Recycling is a process to convert waste material to material which can be used again. This process is necessary to preserve the environment and its resources. Some types of garbage which can be recycled are glass, plastic and paper. In Japan, the government itself takes care of the recycling process. Meanwhile in Egypt, there are some organizations and projects which aim to raise the citizens’ awareness of the importance of individual recycling. We can all help to protect the environment through recycling or reusing our garbage to create other useful things.

*We will introduce you to some of the activities of recycling by Japanese and Egyptian organizations.

Yodogawa Technique:

Yodo River (Yodogawa) is one of Japanese rivers and the main river in Osaka prefecture. This river flows from a lake called Biwa “Biwa-ko” through Kyoto to Osaka. Since many people live by the river side, the river is polluted with much garbage. Two young men decided to collect garbage from the river and use it to create their artworks. That’s how “Yodo-gawa Technique” – of which Mr. Hideaki Shibata is one of the founders – came into being. Mr. Shibata gave a lecture before at the Japan Foundation Cairo Office about the role of art in the environment.

FRTR is a project (by Baad El Bahr, curated by Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art) of public art made with up-cycled materials. The pilot project combines for the first time in Egypt two sensitive topics: the re-use of discarded materials and the attention toward public spaces. Mr. Shibata has also participated in this project by guiding the artists and giving them advice to accomplish their artworks.

This exhibition is displayed at the garden of the Swiss Embassy presenting 20 artworks and it aims to let the public to discover the hidden aesthetics’ possibilities of the waste materials.

JICA members make great efforts to educate people about recycling and protecting the environment by holding workshops using a picture-card show. One of the topics they discuss in workshops is the decrease in non-renewable resources and how to deal with it through recycling.

JICA’s missions are

Addressing the global agenda

Reducing poverty through equitable growth

Improving governance

Achieving human security

There are many experienced staff volunteering in Egypt. Mr. Fujino and Mr. Suwa are one of them and they are working on environmental education in Cairo and Hurghada. These posters are examples of the materials they use in their own activities.